Traffic signal



R. W. GLAWE TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed July 28, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 23,1937.

Nov, 23, 1937. R. w. GLAWE 2,100,246

TRAFFIC S IGNAL Filed July 28, 193e 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Nov. 23,159.37

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a traic signal primarily adapted for use onautomobiles or selfpropelled vehicles.

It is particularly aimed to provide a construction which is exceedinglycompact and which utilizes a signal member normally retracted andWrapped about a drum or the like.

It is further aimed to provide a novel structure wherein the drum isadapted to be actuated by an electric motor and which drum andassociated parts are carried by a frame adapted to beelectromagnetically tilted or moved to different angles or positions sothat the same signal arm or the like will have different signallingmeanings such as right turn, left turn and stop.

'I'he more specic objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the description following taken in connection withaccompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:-

Figure l is a View in horizontal section illustrating my improvements;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of line 2-2 ofFigure l;

Figure 3 is a detail section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detail'vieW taken on the plane of line 5-5 of Figure l,and 1 Figure 6 is an electrical diagram of the parts.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein likeV referencecharacters designate like or similar parts, Il] designates a suitablyshapedr attaching bracket, adapted to be screwed, bolted or other- Wisefastened as at II to a suitable part of an automobile I2. Said bracket Iis horizontally disposed and it suspends and pivotally mounts a frame I3with which trunnions I4 and I5 are integral or rigidly connected. Saidtrunnions I4 and I5 are journaled in the arms of the attaching bracketI0 and an armature I6 is integral or rigid with the trunnion I5. Rigidlysecured to an arm |3a mounted on frame I3, and on opposite sides of thearmature I 6 are solenoids or electromagnets I1 and I8.

Rigidly connected to the frame I3 as by means of screws I9 is anelectric motor 20 of the direct current, reversible type. Journaledaround the electric motor 20 is a drum 2I having a hub 22, concentricwith the main or driven shaft 23 of the motor, the' ends of which shaftare preferably journaled in the frame I3.

Anchored at one end to the periphery of the drum 2I is a signallingmember 24. Such signalling member is a steel or other metallic ribbon,which'is exible, and normally arcuate in cross section. Such ribbonhowever in lat transverse form or cross section is Wrapped about theperiphery of the drum 2|, maintained flat about such drum and guidedwith minimum friction by means of rollers 25 contacting with thesignalling member. Said motor, drum and signalling member are enclosedby a casing 26, to which the 10 rollers 25 are journaled and whichcasing is suitably secured to the frame I3.

Said casing 2B has an enlargement or oiset at 2'! provided with anopening 28 which is arcuate in shape and conforms to the normal andoperative cross sectional arc of the signalling member. Such tape 24also passes through an opening 29 in the casing proper, which opening 29is nearly straight but slightly arcuate. It will be understood thatnormally a short portion of the free end of the signalling member 24projects beyond the opening 28 and the construction is such that thetape cannot be wound sufciently on the drum to pull the free end of thetape 24 inwardly out of the opening 28. It will beunderstood that whenthe tape or signalling member l21? is in its normal cross sectionallyarcuate condition, that it will maintain such shape and serve as asignalling arm as shown in Figures l and 4.' Obviously the tape may beshaped as 3o desired, for instance pointed at the free end, and it maybe painted or ornamented in any desired manner and if preferred, ofluminous paint or material thereon.

The shaft 23 has a pinion 3U keyed thereto enmeshed with a larger pinionor gear 3l keyed to a shaft 32 journaled in the frame I3 and which shaftcarries a smaller pinion 33 enmeshed with a pinion 34keyed to the hub 22of the drum 2|: A suitable stop mechanism is shown at 35 to limit 40 theturning of the parts so as to prevent retraction of the signallingmember 24 at its free end inwardly of the opening 28.

The electric motor 20 may receive its energy from any desired source andusually from the starting, lighting and ignition storage battery 36 ofthe automobile or vehicle with which the invention is associated, acircuit being suggested at 31 in Figure 6. One side thereof is groundedas at 38. The other side thereof is in the form of a switch 39 groundedas at 40. The said circuit also includes the said solenoids I1 and I8and contacts 42, 43, 44, and 45.

Generally speaking, the closing of the circuit operates the motor 20 soas to project the signal 55 member 24 and at the same time, except inthe case of a left turn, one or the other of the solenoids I1 and I8 isenergized so as to rock the frame I3 and al1 parts connected thereto tovary the angle of the projected signal 24 as suggested in Figure 4. Morespecifically, if the switch arm 39 engages the contacts 42 and 4I, themotor 20 will be energized as well as the solenoid I8, the motor thusprojecting the signal 24 and the energized solenoid I8 attracting thearmature I6, whereby the frame I3 and all parts carried thereby will berocked so that the signal 24 will be at an angle above the horizontal.Should the switch 39 engage the contacts 42 and 43, said motor 20 willbe energized to project the signal 24 and at the same time theelectromagnet I'I will be en- '.ergized which will attract the armatureI6,

tilting or swinging the frame 26 and al1 parts carried thereby andmoving the projected signal 24 to the position below the horizontal assuggested in Figure 4 and which position indicates stop. When the switch39 engages the contact 44, it simply energizes the motor 20, causingprojection of the signal 24 to indicate a left turn, such signal beinghorizontal and the frame I3 and associated parts being so suspended fromthe trunnions I4 and I5 as to normally hang in a position where thesignal will be horizontally projected. To restore the parts to normal orneutral position With the signal arm 24 retracted, the switch 39 isengaged with the contact 45, which serves to reverse the operation ofthe motor.

Attention is called to the fact that the switch is only diagrammaticallyillustrated and in practice, the switch arm 39 will be of such aconstruction as to engage the desired contact or contacts for apredetermined length of time and then disengage the same, to the endthat the various movements of the parts will be accurate and may bepredetermined with certainty.

I claim as my invention:-

l. A signalling device of the class described comprising a frame, meanspivotally mounting said frame, an extensible signalling means carried bythe frame comprising a drum, a normally arcuate flexible signallingmember having a portion `wrapped flat about the drum, means providing anopening arcuate in cross section adjacent to the drum, one end of saidsignalling member being fastened to the drum and the other end beingfree and so disposed as to be projected through said arcuate opening, anelectric motor on the frame operable to extend said signalling means,and mechanism operable to energize the motor and to actuate the framepivotally to vary the position of the signalling means.

2. A signalling structure of the class described comprising a frame,means pivotally mounting the frame, said means having an armature, an

extensible signalling means on the frame coniprising a drum, a normallyarcuate exibl-e signalling member having a portion Wrapped at about thedrum, means providing an opening arcuate in cross section adjacent tothe drum, one end of said signalling member being fastened to the drumand. the other end being free and so disposed as to be projected throughsaid arcuate opening, an electric motor operable to extend thesignalling means, said motor having a shaft, gearing between the drumand said motor shaft, and means operable to energize the motor and theelectromagnetic means so that the latter will attract 'said armature tovary the angle of the frame and signalling means.

3. A signalling structure of the class described comprising a frame,means pivotally mounting the frame', said means having an armature, asignalling means, an electric motor to actuate the signalling means,gearing operatively connected to the motor and said frame, meansoperable to energize the motor and the electromagnetic means so that thelatter will attract said armature to vary the angle of the frame andsignalling means, said signalling means comprising a drum surroundingthe motor, a flexible signalling member attached to the drulnandnormally rolled on the drum, a casing about the drum, said casinghaving2 an arcuate opening through which the signalling member isadapted to be projected to assume an arcuate shape, the flexibility ofthe signalling member in combination With said opening causing thesignalling member when projected to assume a straight line.

4. A signalling structure of the class described comprising a frame,means pivotally mounting the frame, said means having an armature, asignalling means on the frame having a drum provided with a hub, anelectric motor to actuate the signalling means provided with a shaft, aseries of p-inions one connected to said hub and another connected tothe shaft of said motor, means operable to energize the motor and theelectromagnetic means so that the latter will attract said armature tovary the angle of the frame and signalling means, said drum surroundingthe motor, a iiexible signalling member attached to the drum andnormally rolled on the drum, a casing about the drum, said casing havingan arcuate opening through which the signalling member is adapted to beprojected to assume an arcuate shape, the flexibility of the signallingmember in combination with said opening causing the signalling memberwhen projected to assume a straight line, a casing about the drum,rollers in said casing constituting guides for the signalling member.

RAYMOND W. GLAWE.

